The Quakers again, have an objection to the learning of instrumental
music on account of its almost inseparable connection with vocal, in
consequence of which, it leads often to the impurity, which the latter
has been shewn to be capable of conveying to the mind.
This connection does not arise so much from the circumstance, that
those, who learn to play, generally learn to sing, as from another
consideration. Musical people, who have acquired skill and taste, are
desirous of obtaining every new musical publication, as it comes out.
This desire is produced where there is an aim at perfection in this
science. The professed novel reader, we know, waits with impatience for
a new novel. The politician discovers anxiety for his morning paper.
Just so it is with the musical amateur with respect to a new tune. Now,
though many of the new compositions come out for instrumental music
only, yet others come out entirely as vocal. These consist of songs sung
at our theatres, or at our public gardens, or at our other places of
public resort, and are afterwards printed with their music, and exposed
to sale. The words therefore, of these songs, as well as the music that
is attached to them, fall into the hands of the young amateur. Now as
such songs are not always chaste, or delicate, and as they frequently
contain such sentiments, as I have shewn the Quakers to disapprove, the
young musician, if a Quaker, might have his modestey frequently put to
the blush, or his delicacy frequently wounded, or his morality often
broken in upon, by their perusal.
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